Barolo 2010: Coming up roses

The Collisioni festival, taking place all
over the town of Barolo, provided the opening round of tastings and
conversation about the 2010 vintage, which is coming on to the market now. It
was a year of only moderate drama, cool and somewhat wet during the summer, but
any anxiety eased with a sunny and warmer September, setting up a fine harvest.
(The coolness probably offset some of the effects of global warming, providing
the grapes with a better balance as they finished ripening.) The resulting
wines are forceful without being overbearing, and the best of them are quite
elegant (I want to say they're “without arrogance”—they’ll be quite gracious and approachable when
they mature, which will begin about 2020/2025).

My
personal picks follow, based on those tasted in Barolo as well as several subsequent samplings in London, minus show-offy tasting notes (the wines will change so
much over the years that intimations of exact flavors would be even more
ridiculous than usual; also, please note that the rankings are somewhat tenuous
for the same reason. That said, all the wines that follow are recommended, with
considerable enthusiasm, surely to be joined by many more as other wines become
available in the next few months.)

The
top tier at the moment are Vajra “Bricco delle Viole;” Chiarlo “Cerequio;” PioCesare “Ornato;”
Luciano Sandrone “CannubiBoschio;” Marchesidi Barolo “Sarmassa;” and Corderodi Montezemolo
“Monfalleto.” A half-step behind are Damilano “Cannubi;” GiuseppeRinaldi “Brunate;” Vietti “Lazzarito;” Paolo Scavino
“BriccoAmbrogio,” and Ratti “Rocche
dell’Annunziata.” Two others deserve mention: PioCesare’s Barolo, a blend of five vineyards that will
be ready to drink in a few years, enjoyed with lunch one day, and Fletcher,
also a blend, made by DavidFletcher, an Australian who has
made wine in several places there and in California, and for a few years in the
Piedmont. His 2010 is available in small quantities in the US and UK, and is
just fabulous. Another great choice from the Nebbiolo grape, deliciously ready
right now, is the Vajra “Nebbiolo delle Langhe.”